The last stand, Redux
by red157
Summary: I really didn't like the 'The last Stand' to such an extent that I've decided to write my own. Starts Post X2 around same time as new film. Please R and R and enjoy! Chapter 6 up!
1. Rebirth

**Authors note – I do not own any of these characters, they all belong to Marvel and/or 20th Century fox**

Chapter 1 – Rebirth 

Alkali Lake was once a top-secret government facility, hidden beneath a large dam. All that remains of the once prosperous testing centre is now flooded, that dam, breached. The lake is no longer empty, but filled after a climactic battle that saw Jean Grey, a mutant, killed saving her friends from certain death. Scott Summers had loved Jean Grey from the moment he first set eyes on her, many years ago. He had always been afraid that she'd knock him back, so he always put it off. His fellow friends at Xavier's school for gifted youngsters all told him it was stupid to bottle up his feelings. One day, to his surprise, Jean telepathically spoke to him from across a room, and did what he could never do.

Scott stood on the edge of the lake, gazing out over the water that had swallowed Jean. Scott was there, and he didn't do a thing about it. Scott fell to his knees, since Jean's death he hadn't even cried. He'd wanted to, but the glasses that stopped him obliterating everything in sight always held the tears back.

_This is the last time_, Scott promised. His eyes tightly closed, Scott removed his specially created glasses and threw them into the water. He wanted to do anything but open them, yet he had an irresistible urge to do so. Ignoring his worries, Scott opened his eyes, releasing the full force of his blasts. The red beams from each eye fired across the water, evaporating the molecules into steam with the sheer heat of the beams. Scott collapsed on the hard rock; a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He could finally do what he had been waiting to do for months, deal with what had happened with Jean and make peace with himself. Scott attempted to stand, realisation hitting him that he had blinded himself. He cursed himself and reached for his mobile phone, clipped to his pocket. The day he forgot to bring a spare pair of glasses would be the day he cast them into the water in a surge of anger.

"Ororo? It's Scott; I'm at Alkali Lake. Could you bring the Blackbird as soon as possible, and my visor? No, no trouble, I've just been real stupid. Thanks."

Scott sat down and smiled. In his eyes, what he did wasn't stupid; it was something only he could understand. When you're cursed like he is, letting go is a welcome relief. Then he felt it, an intense heat in Scott's vicinity.

"Hello?" Scott spoke aloud and grasped at the air, to his surprise he felt something. His glasses had been floating in front of him, with confusion; Scott placed them back into position. The lake reappeared, but everything was different. The water level had dropped noticeably and the air around him sparked with red light. A shadow fell over Scott; causing him to leap up into the air, ready to blast the intruder unconscious. Before he even had the chance, Scott froze. He had always suspected he'd see her again, she looked different, her hair had changed and she radiated a purple fire. She seemed so unnatural.

"Jean?" The fire dispersed revealing the same old Jean Grey, innocent and beautiful.

"Hello Scott."


	2. Lessons Learned

**Authors note – I do not own any of these characters, they all belong to Marvel and/or 20th Century fox**

Chapter 2 – Lessons learned 

The knight slowly moved itself one place to the right, and then two places forward, taking a pawn in the process. As if by magic the pawn gradually ascended into the air and landed at the side of the board. The two men playing take a brief look at each other before continuing playing.

"I didn't think playing mind games was your style, Eric?" Both men have lived along time, and seen many things. One more than the other has seen more things than he'd care to remember. Charles Xavier smiled as he spoke, eyes focused to see his opponents reaction.

"What's the point of having a silver chess set if I'm not willing to take advantage of it? And anyway Charles, we both know mind games are more your style. It's your move by the way." Xavier sensed harshness in Eric Lensherr's voice; he had become worried when he first saw him. Eric arrived for the weekly chess game like he was attending a funeral; a Trilby hat cast his face in a grim shadow. Xavier wore more formal attire, a regular suit, and polished, black shoes. Being wheelchair bound meant his pricey footwear never usually became scuffed or dirty.

"Why are you here Eric? Why are we even talking? Are you that worried I'll do something to your mind that you've mentally blocked me?" Xavier waited patiently, the wind of Central park and babbles of other chess players the only noise.

"It's your move Charles." Eric's tone purred with spite. Xavier sensed he had lost and moved his queen, taking the recently moved knight. "Check."

"I'm sorry about Jean. She was an amazing woman, I respect her, even though I always doubted her decision to stay at that school of yours." Xavier felt real emotion in Eric's voice. He still remembered the day he first visited Jean's house with Eric, when they were both full of such ideas and hopes.

"Something was different about her, before she died." Xavier mentioned offhandedly. Eric quickly moved his king out of check.

"Oh? How so?" He leaned back in his seat and waited for an explanation.

"It was Scott who highlighted it to me first. He mentioned that she was troubled since the night atop the statue of liberty." Eric raised his brow; he too had felt different since that night. "Up until that night, Jean had been an excellent telepath and competent when using her telekinesis. Then in the weeks before her death she detonated a missile that was following the Blackbird, parried one of Scott's optic blasts when he intended to kill her and managed to protect the rest of the team long enough so we could leave. None of this could have been done with the power she had." Xavier waited for a minute before asking for Eric's opinion.

"Well I certainly agree with you, Charles. But if it was my actions that unlocked that latent side of Jean's power, then you owe me your life." Eric laughed, it was meant as a joke, but Xavier failed to see the funny side.

"I'd advise you leave, Eric. A player two boards up has recognized you and is about to ask the opinion of his opponent. Also this game seems to have come to its natural end." At Xavier's word's, Eric looked down at the board to notice he had moved whilst he spoke. Eric had been checkmated for two minutes.

"The reason I called you here is because Mystique has infiltrated Worthington industries. She's discovered something that could possibly end homo superior permanently." Eric rose from his seat and signaled for the car behind them to start. Xavier maneuvered himself round the chess table so that he could listen better to Eric. "In three days time they will announce the discovery of a 'cure for mutation', it is being massed produced and will be available free for those who choose to take it. I don't know what you are planning to do about it, but I'm making sure that by tomorrow, they have no means of producing this virus."

Xavier looked at the ground, his mind overtaken by thoughts. From somewhere near them, a person had began shouting, having noticed Eric. Xavier looked up at Eric who waited for a word from him; unfazed that someone had seen him.

"Why? Why tell me your plans?" Xavier demanded an answer, being a telepath, he usually knew people's thoughts before they had chance to understand what they mean. Eric paused; his car beeped behind him, the driver impatient.

"If I fail, it will be up to you to convince your students not to take the cure. I can think of a few who'd love to be able to see, to touch. But I warn you Charles," Eric's voice turned grave, not a warning, but a threat, "get in my way and you'll be as much an enemy as they are. Homo Sapiens have struck first and I will strike back, and if they or you for that matter want a war. I'll give you one."

Eric tipped his hat at Charles and entered the car. They gave each other one last lingering look before Eric slammed the car door shut. Charles stayed there for a while, staring in wonderment at where the car had been. Eric had probably been gone for a long time; all that was left was Magneto, enemy of the X-men. Xavier felt the wheelchair move slightly, his escort had returned. Kurt Wagner looked completely different in public than when he's at Xavier's mansion. From a deal struck up with the president, Xavier requested a variety of things that allowed his students to feel comfortable around humans. For Kurt Wagner AKA Nightcrawler, this was a recent invention called the 'image inducer'. To everyone in the park, he looked like a typically normal German male when, in reality, he is a forked tailed demon, complete with biblical tattoos.

"Did you have a good conversation professor?" Kurt asked as he wheeled Xavier to the Bentley awaiting them. Xavier smiled slightly, at the time, unsure why he did so.

"It was very…informative."

* * *

Jean Grey had made peace with God. Born into an average suburban home, with an average suburban family, she never expected she'd one day be saving the World. One night, her and her fellow team members, all mutants born with extraordinary powers, fought another team of homo superior. In the hardest strain her powers ever took, she helped her team and in the process saved hundreds from death. Then it began calling to her. It called itself the Phoenix, a being of unimaginable power, it told Jean that anything she wanted would be hers. Jean refused, not even sure the Phoenix existed, she didn't even try to comprehend that it did. But the Phoenix helped anyway, saving her life twice and the lives of her friends in a move that ultimately cost Jean her life. But in those last dying seconds of life, with Jean submerged and seemingly unconscious under the sheer force of the water, she asked for help. The phoenix replied.

Weeks later Jean's eyes open for the first time since she closed them when the wave hit. To her surprise she isn't lying down and covered in water but upright and completely dry. Jean looked around, the amount of thoughts entering her mind were incredible and none seemed to her own. She seemed to be in the place she left, though the empty basin was now full of water and trees had been parted like something enormous had smashed through them. She attempted to move forward but stumbled on something she can't imagine how she didn't notice before. Lying twisted and silent was her love, Scott Summers.


	3. In need

**Authors note – I do not own any of these characters, they all belong to Marvel and/or 20th Century fox**

Chapter 3 – In need 

All the trees at Xavier's school for gifted youngsters share the same green glow that can only signal the arrival of summer. It had been a busy year, with arrivals and noticeable departures; no one at the school remembers anything close to normality. The school is different from the rest for two reasons; it is completely different below the surface, and every student attending is a mutant. Like there teachers, each child has the ability, or the potential of great power. Two floors below the surface, things are remarkably different. Twelve of the older students observed as Logan explained the inner workings of the school's jet.

Logan was always a loner by choice, and it was his choice to set up camp at the school. He still doesn't know what attracted him to the place, or to his position in the team. All he knows is above him is the school's basketball court and behind him is the most costly jet imaginable.

"Okay, can anyone tell me what I would need to do if one of the engines caught fire or was completely lost?" Logan waited impatiently, as one by one each student shrugged. It wasn't Logan's idea to teach classes; in his eyes he was lousy at it. But the Professor asked him to take some of Scott's classes for a while, and Logan owed Xavier a lot. Always giving him the encouraging smile was Rogue, one of the only mutants in the school who hated her real name. Logan and her have a lot of history, both arriving at the school together way back when. Standing next to Rogue was her boyfriend, Bobby Drake, the self proclaimed Iceman. Rogue and Bobby maintain a difficult relationship; Rogue's power is more of a curse, her being unable to touch any living person. Logan thought about how terrible her situation must be only to be distracted by one of Bobby's jokes.

"Is this the correct answer sir?" He unleashed a beam of ice that wrapped itself around one of the blackbird's engines. The class laughed in unison, all except Rogue. The girl on the other side of Bobby also gave a courteous chuckle. In many ways, Kitty Pryde would be classed as more attractive than Rogue. Among there classmates, it's Kitty who always gets the looks and gracious comments. In past lessons, Logan would have probably broken the nearest object in anger, but he thought of a much better idea to punish Bobby.

"Hilarious, stay back after class. As long as that takes to melt you'll be there with a mop." Bobby's smile vanished from his face at Logan's words, the rest of the class' cause of laughter changed to mock his situation. "Class dismissed."

The students packed away their things whilst Logan moved out into more open territory to light a cigar. Within seconds he heard the sound of footsteps and the familiar shout of his name.

"Logan!" Rogue ran up and tapped him on the shoulder. He took along drag on his cigar before enquiring.

"Yeah Kid?" Logan already knew what she was about to ask as she'd asked it a hundred times before.

"Can ya' please let Bobby go early? I know he'll have learned his lesson and I'll promise he won't do anything like it again." Rogue, like Logan, already knew the reply. He had no love for Bobby Drake, but Logan would do anything for Rogue. Rogue was a one of a kind in his eyes; she had an amazing smile and familiar Texan drawl. She also had a remarkable will and unfathomable strength in the face of adversity. Something Logan knew all about.

"Sure, go. But this is the last time!" He called after her; she had started running back to Bobby at 'sure'.

"Thanks Logan!" In his eyes, Bobby wasn't good enough for Rogue, but he made her happy and that's all that counts. From a distance, Storm approached. Logan hadn't heard or seen her, but sensed the increase in her scent.

"Something wrong, Storm?" Logan turned to face her having casually stubbed out his cigar on the steel floor. Ororo groaned as she saw the cigar butt.

"You smoking near a fully fuelled jet for one." Logan liked Ororo. In her homeland she was worshipped as a Goddess and it was pretty obvious she didn't like not having the same treatment at the mansion. He laughed at her joke, but sensed something more serious in her voice. "It's Scott. He requested we go pick him up from Alkali Lake."

The place resonates so much emotion for the two. Over the months, they had dealt with the loss of Jean and moved on. It seemed Scott never would.

"I'm going to go pick him up now, and I'd like it if you'd come with me." Ororo wasn't telling everything to Logan. It was the slight things that gave her away, like a too often repeated touching of her recently cut silver hair.

"What else?" Logan asked with his usual inquiring expression.

"When he called, he said he'd done something stupid. And I haven't been able to get through to him since. I know the Professor has a big announcement, but I just don't feel comfortable with Scott anymore. He's been so terribly isolated." Ororo's voice panged with genuine angst.

"He lost the woman he loved, Storm, you can't expect heartbreak like that to heal quickly." Logan himself loved Jean also, but he knew he could never of had what Jean and Scott had. Ororo watched his expression change from serious to something more solemn.

"But you loved her too. Didn't you Logan." Before finishing, Ororo knew she had gone to far.

"Let's go." Logan moved past her and boarded the blackbird, Ororo fazed for a second by the stupidity of her words.

* * *

Rogue switched off her television as the room began to shake. In the beginning, the members of the X-men leaving on various missions were extremely distracting. Over time, however, the many students have learned to appreciate the spectacle of a billion dollar jet emerging through a Bond style trapdoor in the basketball court. Rogue hopped along her bed to join Bobby in gazing out the window.

"Where do you think they're all goin'?" Rogue inquired, trying to snag her boyfriends attention from the jet about to burst of into the air. With a sonic boom that would shatter any windows not reinforced, the jet cut a path through the clouds and was gone. Bobby turned to face Rogue and thought for a while.

"Probably to pick up Scott. He's been gone for about a week." He looked at Rogue for a time, wishing he could touch her face and kiss her. It wasn't impossible, they'd done it before, but Rogue never wants to take the chance again. Bobby realized he'd been gazing at Rogue for a moment too long when she stopped looking at him and instead turned to peer out into the corridor.

"I think we should," Rogue stuttered, tears began welling in her eyes, "I think it would be the best for both of us if we stopped seeing each other."

She looked up at him, his expression one of sadness but not surprise. Without a word, Bobby lifted his hand and moved it towards Rogue's face. Unsure of his intentions, Rogue leaped off the bed, angered at Bobby's stupidity.

"What the hell are you doing? You wanna' get yourself killed?" He smiled at her worry and kneeled on Rogues bed so they were at the same height.

"I am not scared. Of you, or the future. Our mutations would be a problem we'd have to cross whatever our powers are. I'll find a way, Rogue." Lost in the moment, the two teenagers in love were disturbed by another student at the door. Rogue didn't dislike Kitty; she just didn't like much about her. She wondered whether Kitty had been listening the whole time.

"Don't mind me. I guess the professor didn't want to disturb you two, but he's mentally called a meeting in the main hall." Bobby and Rogue snapped out of their private trance and thanked Kitty for the warning. The main hall was situated at the newly built South wing of the school, like any school hall, it's the communal meeting and eating area. The hall was mainly built for the new training facility a floor below, imaginatively titled 'the danger room' by its participants. It probably cost more than the blackbird with the room managing to create any environment using state of the art holographic technology. Rogue hadn't yet built up the courage to try it out yet, not sure her power would be of any use in the heat of battle. Professor Xavier always told her that her abilities could save any team but she never understood how.

* * *

The hall, like the rest of the mansion, was completely decked out in wood, with refined paintings and plants taking up every spare space. Today there were no tables, just many rows of chairs, half full of puzzled students. Rogue sat by her close friend Jubilation Lee, though everyone called her Jubilee (Something she encouraged). Bobby sat on Rogue's other side, noticing Kitty's attempts to get a seat near them. Rogue and Jubilee shared a quick, careful hug before enquiring what the meeting was about.

"What's going on? A meeting like this ain't happened since the funeral of Dr. Jean." Rogue looked around after asking, the whole school had turned up, eager to find out what the unexpected gathering was about.

"I guess it's to do with Scott. Maybe he died too?" Rogue gave a sympathetic smile. Being brought up in Beverly Hills didn't do much for Jubilee's personality.

"Don't say that, I like Scott. He's nice lookin' too." Bobby cleared his throat at Rogue's words as a humorous reminder. The talk soon stopped as a solemn Kurt wheeled an even graver Xavier onto the recently constructed stage. All eyes were on the principal of the school as he spoke into a lowered microphone.

"Many years ago, me and my close friend Eric Lensherr, better known to you all as Magneto, developed the idea for a school. A school for our kind, mutants or homo superior as Eric named us. This school was to be a place where we could live in peace, honing our talents whilst having the education any student should. In two days we all may be presented with a choice. A company named Worthington industries has development an antibody, a suppressor of some sort. They're calling it a cure." The room exploded with nervous chatter, soon taken over by other students hushing the rest, eager for more information. Xavier Continued, "To my knowledge Eric is planning to stop the announcement, but if, for any reason he doesn't, all of you will be allowed to take it if you so wish."

Jubilee stood up suddenly; ready to ask one of the many questions going through all the student's minds.

"Is that it?" Like many of the students, Jubilee's power is intertwined with their emotion. Her black hair began to radiate different colours and lights snapped and crackled around her.

"Calm down, Jubilee." Xavier remained calm, despite half his students' distress.

"No, Sir. I oppose this cure like everyone here. But it sounds like you're just gonna' sit around and let Magneto attack Worthington industries? People could die!" Bobby and many others barked agreement. The rest remained silent or booed Jubilee's words. Rogue sat still, her head still ringing from what Xavier declared. A cure. Bobby called Rogue's mutation a problem that they would have to cross. In Rogue's eyes, they just found a bridge.

"I am aware of this, but Eric obviously has all the information. He told me willingly; this could all be a ploy for the X-men to be made out as the villains. I will not let anybody charge into battle not sure who the enemy is!" Xavier slammed his fist on his wheel chair causing Kurt to give him a worried look.

"Professor, we all know who the villain is here! Magneto has attacked our team. They tried to kill Rogue, and that shape changer of theirs masqueraded as Bobby! Since when have you been such a hypocrite?" Bobby collapsed next to Rogue, annoyed by Jubilee changing the subject of attention to them. Kitty looked at him and then to Rogue, ever since Rogue heard the word cure, she'd been in a dreamland.

"Jubilee…" Xavier froze, his eyes fixed at some point in front of him. Jubilee stopped her barrage of arguments and gazed at the vacant professor.

"What's wrong with him?" Someone asked from the back of the hall. Kurt moved to his front, shocking him from his trance. Covered in cold sweat and shivering, Xavier desperately looked up at Kurt.

"Professor?" Many of the students had crowded round them.

"Jean." Xavier drifted into unconsciousness, causing many to gasp with worry. Kurt grabbed hold of the professor.

"Stand back." With a large implosion of purple smoke, Kurt and the professor teleported to the medical centre, leaving a collection of coughing and confused students in their wake.


	4. He's alive'

**Authors note – I do not own any of these characters, they all belong to Marvel and/or 20th Century fox**

**P.S. I hope everyone likes this story, for some reason, I actually am enjoying writing it. I might actually do some more chapters for my other stories as well.**

Chapter 4 – 'He's alive' 

Layers of clouds gently moved out of the jets way as it gradually descended. Logan and Ororo had only shared half talks since taking off, but not even she was safe from his sharp remarks.

"Storm, c'mon. Speed it up a notch, it's been over two hours since Scott contacted you. He could of built his own visor in that time." Logan laughed to himself. He never felt different as Wolverine; the tight suit made him uncomfortable, though, more than anything he'd ever worn before. Ororo also thought of herself and her alias – Storm – as one and the same. Something scared her, however, about every time she went into battle. Her upbringing in Africa taught her how precious every life was, and that killing is something one should only turn to at the direst of times. But facing evil on a regular basis almost made her want to forget her teachings and cut loose, on someone. The Wolverine sat beside her would never understand the value of life. Killing isn't just second nature to him, it's his hobby. Ororo closed her eyes and opened them again, her pupils hidden by white cloud. Below the jet, broken trees and chunks of rock rolled out of it's way, clearing the way for a safe landing. As the jet landed, Storm stopped using her power, her focus changed to finding Scott. Logan cursed, flicking various switches to stand-by.

"You could have told me you were taking your hands off the wheel." Logan un-strapped himself from his chair and moved to the door.

"I'll give you notice next time." At the push of a button, the side door opened and steps automatically lowered to the floor. Storm removed herself from the seat and called to Logan. "Wolverine! Do you think Scott's here?"

He turned back with a smile on his face.

"I already smell him darlin' and he isn't alone." Logan jogged down the steps allowing sunlight to fill the jet. Reassured and inquisitive, Storm matched Logan's pace in following him out into the open. The heat outside the jet was unexpected; every tree for hundreds of metres was leafless and singed. The ground radiated heat waves causing Storm to call upon a light shower to lower the temperature. Logan followed the raindrops fall from the solitary cloud in the blue sky to their evaporation before they even hit the ground. Storm quickly waved it away, realising it would be of no use.

"What happened here?" She asked, a pang of sadness at every dead plant in the area. Logan tried to catch the faint wind for a scent. Initially he sensed two individual scents, one strongly Scott's, the other much fainter yet familiar. "Can you locate him Wolverine?"

"I can't get anything over the smell of burning wood. If it wasn't so rocky around here, I'd recommend we search on foot." Logan noticed the hole in the trees on the opposite side of the river. Storm followed his gaze also noticing the obvious trademark of one of Scott's optic blasts. With a strong blast of wind, she pushed herself into the air.

"Mind if I scout the area by air?" Flying wasn't easy for Storm, only intense training that pushed her to her limits made her even realise the possibilities of her power. For years Storm had only levitated, but by manipulating the winds, she could fly superbly.  
"Go ahead, be careful!" Storm had flown half way along the lake by the time he said 'go'. Logan was getting sick with boredom and normality, little did he realise things would soon change.

Flying was an amazing feeling, every time Storm left the ground she wondered why she'd spent all her life on it in the first place. Logan had recognised Scott's scent so Storm felt no need to rush, instead she used the hot sun as a backdrop for a series of complicated twirls and twists. The effort and overall product almost made her scream with joy, if Logan was to see her, it would be the first time Storm would be told to stay focused.

Then the world changed around her as if the sun had suddenly decided this was it's day to die. The sky grew blood red and for the time being, Alkali Lake was hell. The wind ceased to be, plummeting Storm into the river basin where water had been only seconds before. Tree's caught aflame and the air crackled and scorched as if attempting to burn as well. Logan hopped over boiling hot rocks to where he had last seen Storm before she fell from the sky. He knew what was going on around him, but he had been to hell before and knew enough times not to let his guard down. All the fire in the trees and all the heat in the air suddenly condensed into one with a speed unmatchable by human eyes. The ball of fire levitated above the lake before exploding into a figure that seemed to take up the whole sky, the second of normality forgotten. Logan recognised the fire creature slightly even though it blinded him to the point where it was painful.

It was a bird.

A Phoenix.

Words couldn't describe what Logan saw in that bird but for some reason he likened it to something, someone. The Phoenix screamed, the sound echoing around the basin before slowly fading away, like a candle dims seconds before going out. Convinced the scream sounded human, Logan carried on, glad the sky was blue and everything was normal again. He didn't have to search hard, the two scents were so strong, it was like reading a particularly simple map. They were that strong, he knew who's scent paired along with Scott's, though it should have been impossible.

"Jean?" Logan had turned round the rock slowly as not to disturb her, before calling her name, he even watched her for a second. The difference in her was remarkable; Jean's old suit had been bonded to her skin like a tight fitting dress only adding to her beauty. Over the months, Jean's hair had also grown and the colour changed. To Logan, something wasn't right. The gargantuan Phoenix that had lit up the sky now floated in her hand, miniature, Jean's eyes transfixed to it.

Scott was at her feet, Logan sensed life but he was in a bad state. Tears streamed down Jean's face. At Logan's mention of her name, the Phoenix fell apart like its larger counterpart and she immediately turned to look at him.

"Logan, is that you?" Jean shook with fear; he couldn't imagine what may have happened to her. Logan stepped forward; a feeling in his gut told him something was wrong.

"Don't worry Jean. It's me, you're okay. We're at Alkali Lake, I'm with Storm. We're ready to take you back, back to the mansion." Logan edged forward again, unsure why Jean had the terrible expression of fear in her eyes. She looked from Logan to the seemingly lifeless body at her feet.

"I woke up and Scott was on the ground." Jean's voice seemed so different, so young and innocent. "He, he isn't moving Lo, Logan." She started to shiver uncontrollably. Logan moved closer, only a couple of steps separating them. Why did his gut tell him to turn around and leave her be?

"Scott his fine, I just need to take him aboard the blackbird and then back to the mansion. I need you to come too. Can you do that? Come with me and Storm?" Logan waited for an answer before taking another step; he sensed Storm behind him, bruised but not seriously hurt. Jean looked from him to Storm to the lifeless Scott at her feet and nodded. Logan completed his move and grabbed Jean in a tight embrace. By this point she was crying, her grip hard around Logan. Storm walked past them both, seemingly un-phased by the return of her long-thought-dead friend.

"He's alive." Storm removed her fingers from Scott's wrist and stood up, head still groggy from the fall. Logan slowly broke apart from Jean. He glanced over at Storm, who looked in a bad way.

"I know. I think you should take Jean back to the Jet, I'll be there in a minute." At Logan's word, Storm moved over to Jean and put an arm round her.

"The Jet is just round here, you think you can walk it?" Storm asked. The two women made there way back to the jet leaving Logan alone with the unconscious Scott. In one move, Logan picked him up and threw him over his shoulders.

"Well I for one can't wait to find out what happened to you two."

* * *

In a country like the USA, there are millions of places to build something undetected. In the Rocky Mountains, a large base had been built. If you had checked there only weeks before, no such place would have existed. But having the amazing power to sculpt anything metal meant creating a base took minutes. Deep in the heart of the metallic headquarters was Magneto, alone, his new home more a prison. He felt like sending one of his Brotherhood to steal some paintings, so the place didn't look so bear and cold. Magneto sat behind a completely steel desk that he occasionally moulded into various shapes to pass the time. For weeks after the events at Alkali Lake, Magneto, Mystique and Pyro had been searching for powerful mutants to eventually lead the way in the war against humanity. With only days to go before the announcement of the cure, Magneto's plans couldn't be altered without ruining everything else. To a point, everything was perfect and something going wrong was an impossibility.

"Magneto?" Pyro had used his distractions to enter the room unnoticed; he could have stood there for much longer, hidden in the shadows. Normally, entrance to Magneto's private chamber was forbidden to anyone other than him, but more pressing matters were at hand. "I'm sorry sir, but a fight has broken out among two of ours."

Magneto looked up slightly. He had grown close to Pyro in the months since they met. Magneto saw a lot of himself in him when he was that age. Extremely cocky, Pyro would do anything for the greater good including killing one of his former friends at Xavier's school.

"I've told you before, petty squabbles are beyond us. Let them fight until the weaker is killed." Pyro sometimes didn't understand Magneto. His leader hated humanity but at times seemed to have even less love for idiocy. Pyro knew all of this of course, as long as no one else in the Brotherhood entered the fray things would be fine. The steel walls could take most things and anything broken could be repaired by Magneto. Today, things were different.

"It's one of the Alpha mutants. The guy we recruited from that rally in Tennessee." The class system was discovered by Mystique. On one of her numerous infiltrations of the US government, she found out the CIA categorised mutants into four groups. Epsilon-Delta is the lowest and refers to mutants who haven't yet encountered there powers or aren't strong enough to cause actual harm. Beta is the category that applies to most of the Brotherhood. Beta mutants are powerful enough kill but aren't formidable enough to cause mass damage. Mutants categorized as Alpha are uncommon but extremely vigorous. In the past these mutants have been rounded up by government officials due to accidental or deliberate damage on a large scale. Magneto often debated with Mystique that he was an Alpha level mutant, though she was convinced he was the more powerful Omega level. All Omega level mutants are captured by the government due to the impossible and allegedly unlimited capabilities at their disposal. These mutants often develop from an Alpha level over many years of testing and honing of their powers. Though they searched for many years, Magneto or Xavier for that matter never encountered an Omega level mutant. Occasionally, Xavier's mutant tracking system, Cerebro, would locate one of these special few, but the two were always beaten by the agents of the US.

"The self-proclaimed Juggernaut aye? Who is he quarrelling with?" Magneto asked. Pyro thought for a second. In weeks, many hundreds of mutants had joined the Brotherhood, remembering the crazy names Magneto gave each was hopeless. The fire charmer grinned on remembering the name of the fighter.

"Betsy. That English bird, I can't remember what you called her. Apparently she insulted his eating habits and it went from there. She's one of those telepaths but his helmet he swears on wearing means she can't do a thing." Pyro leaned back against the steel wall, which shook with the noise coming from somewhere below.

"Psylocke. She has potential, if that beast has killed her, the Juggernaut will learn the Brotherhood no longer needs his special talents." Magneto rose from his chair and paced past Pyro who had begun to fiddle with a lighter. Noticing he was alone in the chamber, Pyro called after Magneto.

"She's probably dead already!" Laughing to himself Pyro ignited a fire with the lighter and used his mutant power to control the flames. He gracefully lowered the flame like a roller coaster sliding down a track. As John Allerdyce, Pyro never had a family. He never got to do the things families do, like go to fairs or reassure each other in times of need. Weakened, a solitary tear made it's way down Pyro's face before evaporating under the heat of the gliding flame. Even though he was alone, Pyro couldn't bear showing emotion, even to himself. The fire faded and he ran out of the chamber, eager to see the result of the scuffle.


	5. The Brotherhood

**Authors note – I do not own any of these characters, they all belong to Marvel and/or 20th Century fox**

P.S. Fan fiction I being quite annoying at the mo. In this chapter we'll find out the major storyline difference between my story and the movie. And will we find out what's going on with Jean? – This should also go out on my Birthday, June 4th.

Chapter 5 – The Brotherhood

Logan stroked Jean's hair as she gradually drifted off to sleep. The droning of the Blackbird's engines proving an excellent repetitive lullaby. Since he had put Jean on the jet, Logan hadn't left her side; he knew he should use this time to rest. Near the back of the rebuilt jet was a newly incorporated medical centre. Due to its small size, the centre could only treat one patient at a time. But most of the time, that's all they need. Scott breathed through a tube, chest raising and lowering slightly as he breathed in the oxygen. To any normal person, Scott was in perfect health. He wasn't however; instead the mutant was deep in a coma, with only one reason. Ororo took one last look at her felled friend before moving up the jet to check on Logan and Jean.

"I told you to keep checking autopilot." He had completely forgot his orders. Autopilot could only do so much, taking off and landing, among over manoeuvres required a person in control. "How is she?"

Logan looked over Jean again, asleep on the bottom bunk. He stroked her new longer hair and thought about the answer.

"I really don't know. You saw what happened to her, she should be dead." Logan looked for reassurance from Ororo, she nodded in agreement. "How's Scott? Any ideas what happened to him?"

"Follow me." Ororo gestured for Logan to go with her. He took one last regrettable look at Jean before going with Ororo to the medical centre. To Logan, Scott looked more terrible that he really was. He was shocked by how pale he seemed and could only just hear Scott's faint heartbeat. Due to the low temperature of the jet, Ororo had wrapped him up in the centre's sheets to keep warm.

"I understand he looks worse to you than he does to me. But that isn't his problem. Scott could only have been put into a coma like this from a psychic attack, most likely from Jean." Logan felt like laughing. Jean would never do this, especially to Scott. She loves him, a fact that hurts Logan more than any physical pain.

"You know she would never do this, Ororo. You've known her longer than me! She isn't capable, even by accident." Logan was talking to a brick wall, she knew all of this but the evidence was irrefutable.

"An accident, I thought it could be an accident, then I saw this. I felt like calling you but you were busy with Jean." Ororo's voice wavered like she was about to tell Logan something terrible.

"What is it?" She moved over to Scott and pulled the top of the sheet down to Scott's waist, revealing his chest. Not much scared Logan, but the bird at Alkali Lake that Jean seemed to control petrified him. Engraved deep into Scott, like a scar after many months of healing was that bird. Both of it's wings touched the tips of Scott's shoulders and the beak almost touched his neck. Logan knew the giant scar would be permanent and that whoever did this had great power. Ororo and Logan looked at each other, trying to comprehend that the culprit of the crime laid asleep only metres away.

* * *

The Juggernaut was huge compared to any normal person. Easily over seven feet, he seemed even bigger due to a thick suit and a giant black dome of a helmet. When he started moving, his mutant power meant he could keep going, whatever got in his way. He also had superhuman strength, making his one of the most formidable members of Magneto's Brotherhood.

Carved into the rock of a mountain, the base of Magneto was as elaborate and incredible as you'd expect from its builder. One of the most extraordinary sections of the base was the dining room. Hundreds of feet high with tunnels leading to almost every other part of the building, the room's centrepiece was a long dining table with room to sit a hundred. Up until five minutes ago, fifty mutants had been sat at the table, eating food cooked by one of Forges machines. Not much use in battle, Forge was an invaluable member of the Brotherhood, designing not only the holographic camouflage of the base but weaponry as well.

The mutants in the Brotherhood varied enormously. Some couldn't speak a word of English, others were physically deformed and none of their powers were the same. They all watched with intense interest as Juggernaut charged at the seemingly innocent psychic standing by herself in the middle of the room. For the past few minutes she had dodged and weaved around the table, but the rest of the Brotherhood had blocked it off from her. All that remained was an excited audience, her and Juggernaut.

"A pig? You called me a pig!" The Juggernauts feet pounded across the steel floor, everything shaking with each step. Psylocke smiled with the angered mutant only metres away.

"You're just misunderstood." She rolled out of his way and with a purple flash the Juggernaut stumbled before tumbling into the wall. Some of the audience gasped, a beam of purple light was connected to her right hand. The light was shaped like a dagger and moved at the exact same time her hand moved. Juggernaut stood up, an expression of shock on his face.

"You made me lose concentration." The little his helmet let you saw of his face was red with anger. Juggernaut charged again, the room possibly shaking even more than before. This time Psylocke didn't run or wait for him, she charged right back. Unless you saw the world in slow motion, it was hard to understand what happened next. Psylocke leaped into the air at the last second and slashed at the helmet, hoping to stick the psychic dagger deep into his cerebrum. The dagger didn't affect the helmet, stunning Psylocke midair. The two rapidly separating, Juggernaut slammed his left arm into Psylocke's back, knocking her to the floor.

The crowd grew anxious. Psylocke was down, ribs probably broken and in Juggernauts sights. A silver haired mutant felt like joining the many shouting for the Juggernaut to stop. His mutant power would allow him to pick her up and take Psylocke back to her room in seconds. He moved back among the crowds, Magneto had recruited so many mutants he couldn't keep up with their individual powers. Showing his mutant speed could make Magneto wonder, and possibly remember.

Juggernaut charged, it was now or never for an intervention, luckily for Psylocke, it arrived just in time. With only metres left until he trampled the young psychic, Juggernaut was suddenly diverted, the helmet dragging him in the opposite direction. Juggernaut slowed to a standstill; angered he didn't get a chance to quench his blood thirst.

"I'm sure you'll have a good reason for this." Magneto glided from the lone balcony of the dining hall to the table, many of the mutants parted, even though he wasn't close to touching them. Two of the mutants helped Psylocke up and on to a chair. Juggernaut grunted, suddenly sheepish. "Well?"

"She called me a pig. Where I'm from, that's fighting talk." It was strange seeing the largest man in the room trying to give reasons to the oldest. Psylocke didn't seem seriously hurt, Magneto sensed this.

"Are you that without control you'd attempt to kill our most valuable member?" Magneto glanced over Psylocke who gave a slight smile. Juggernaut just got angrier.

"The oldest of us have been here for weeks? I appreciate the food but what have you got planned? And don't get us started about the Worthington mission, we know you're only taking three tomorrow." Many others roared agreement at Juggernaut's words, upset they hadn't seen what Magneto promised. The leader of the Brotherhood burst into hoarse laughter and stared around the many mutants at his disposal.

"When you joined my Brotherhood, I promised you I would make this world one where Homo Superior not only live in peace but as leaders of this planet. You wonder why I don't pointlessly risk your lives attacking a military guarded medical facility. This cure is less of a problem more of an annoyance. When it is destroyed tomorrow I can move on to the initial stage of the Brotherhood's plan. There are three Omega level mutants incarcerated at a government prison. The information is sketchy but it won't be long until we find out its location and degree of security. When we do, you will get your war if you wish." Pyro had joined Magneto halfway through him speaking. The Brotherhood had become entranced with the vision. Psylocke looked around the stupefied crowd with fear. Things were worse than she first thought, a lot worse.


	6. Scott and Jean

**Authors note – I do not own any of these characters, they all belong to Marvel and/or 20th Century fox**

P.S. If you like reading this story and want something included, tell me. This is my interpretation, but it doesn't mean other ideas can't be incorporated. If you find something wrong with a chapter, I really don't mind if you tell me. All writers need criticism to improve, or something.

Chapter 6 – Scott and Jean 

An empty corridor at night, devoid of people, noise or any life is always an eerie sight. The top floor of Xavier's school was empty, the students long departed. Through one of the walls appeared two of the teenagers who had spent most of their life here. Kitty Pryde in full X-men costume held on to Peter Rasputin also in full attire. They both panted heavily, Peter had carried Kitty across the whole school using her phasing ability to pass through each wall like air itself. Peter as Colossus could turn his whole body into pure metal, though his ability soon became useless. Kitty let go of Colossus and scanned the corridor; all the lights were off meaning the moon gave the only light. In his normal form, Colossus gazed at the white ball hanging in the night sky. What he would give to be back in his native Russia, where super powered villains were things seen on the news only. A hero was no job for a poor farmer.

"Do you think they're still following us?" Kitty paced about, more alert than any other time in her life. Colossus snapped out of his blissful daydream, realising it was not the place nor time to feel homesick.

"Of course they are. I just prey Bobby and Jubilee are having more luck." From somewhere beyond the corridor, Jubilee screamed. Kitty and Colossus felt their hearts fall, they had never expected to leave alive anyway. Seconds later another cry was heard. It was again Jubilee's, but this time, the shout was a cry for help. She still lived. A fire re-entered Colossus, he still had something to fight for. "What's the use of running? I'm going to help Jubilee."

Colossus dashed towards the shouts. Kitty watched him change from organic flesh to solid, silver metal. She had to agree and with one anxious look out of the window, and possible freedom, Kitty chased after Colossus.

Jubilee crouched in a pile of rubble with a face covered in grey dust and clothes torn to shreds. She always was a strong person, but moving around shadows and hiding from death was too familiar. Everyone at the school thought she was a spoilt brat from Beverly Hills, but they had no idea of what she had been through. For over a year before her discovery by Charles Xavier, Jubilee was homeless. Assassins allegedly murdered her rich parents and she fled the city just to live. Only Xavier knew the truth and made a promise to Jubilee to keep it a secret.

Magneto floated along one of Xavier's corridor, doors knocking open either side so he could check for students with ease. Jubilee had escaped him and had probably left the building, along with the rest. She hadn't, instead Jubilee stalked Magneto, using her experience as a thief to sneak behind him without being noticed. With a smile, Jubilee leaped into the corridor and launched a series of bright streamers that weaved towards Magneto with incredible speed. Before he had a chance to repel the globules, they exploded, temporarily blinding Magneto and disrupting his concentration. As he fell, Bobby leaped on to the scene from somewhere ahead, firing an intense beam of ice that encased the old man. The two mutants smiled at each other as the room slowly melted around them, returning to the blue associated with the mansions underground. Kitty and Colossus approached from behind, the third floor was now the objectless danger room. Jubilee shivered, the danger room was one of the recent additions to the mansion she hadn't got used to. Colossus reverted back to flesh and bone form and gave a slight chuckle at Jubilee's ruined suit.

"What happened to you?" She shrugged at his question. The ordeal of fighting Magneto, even if he wasn't real, was still extremely disturbing. Kitty moved over to Bobby, using his temporary separation from Rogue so they could talk alone.

"Um, Bobby?" Without listening, the object of her affections ran past; Rogue had just entered the Danger Room. The two hugged, Bobby immediately launching into a recap of the virtual battle. Kitty watched the two leave with resentment, unaware how obviously jealous she looked. Jubilee and Peter exchanged pitying looks, before moving either side of her.

"What's up Kitten?" Jubilee was only a year older than Kitty, but that made her and Peter the oldest Student's in the school. She often disliked the more popular Kitty, but had noticed a sadness in her that no one else seemed to have seen.

"Nothing, nothing at all." Kitty realised how she must look like a child with a crush to Jubilee and Peter. Without saying goodbye, she also ran out. The two oldest were left alone to take a slow walk back to their rooms.

"Poor girl. She likes Bobby, probably more than even she knows." Peter nodded at Jubilee's assumption, he wasn't normally as quiet. "What's rubbed you the wrong way?"

"Oh, just the Danger Room. It's frightening, when I heard you scream, I really thought something bad had happened." Jubilee smiled. She knew the big Russian had some feelings in him somewhere. They entered the lift that would take them to the top floor, for a few seconds there was silence.

"It's nice to know you care for me." Jubilee's words had got Peter stuck, and she knew it. He could either reinforce his statement and openly declare he liked Jubilee, or take it back, possibly upsetting her. Silence returned to the lift. Peter began to speak but held back before a word left his lips. Jubilee giggled for a second and gave the whole game away. He cursed in Russian and received a stern look from her. The lift bumped to a halt leaving only seconds before the doors opened.

"I guess being in covered in metal isn't the only time you're slow is it, Peter?" The doors separated and Jubilee left, leaving him stunned in her wake. As the doors closed, a red streamer floated into the lift and danced in front of Peter before bursting suddenly. The Russian jumped, for a second he had thought it was a figment of his imagination. He finally left the lift with a smile across his face. Peter was slow, but he had finally caught up with Jubilee.

* * *

"Hello Scott."

Jean didn't move. Her eyes pierced through him, something had changed about them. The impossibility of the situation didn't matter to Scott; his love was alive and standing in front of him. He bounded forward and kissed Jean like he had been meaning to do since they first met. Scott had thought letting his power loose would take away his pain, but this kiss changed all that, his anxieties and fears melted away like they never existed. It seemed to last forever but the magic soon slipped away. Hands either side of her face, Scott drew back. The pupils of Jean's eyes had been replaced with flames, which seemed to dance with the very wind that blew around Alkali Lake. Scott was shocked back to reality and removed his hands from her face. Jean's expression was cold; it probably hadn't changed even in the heat of the embrace.

"Who are you?" His question was one of desperation, the equivalent of a victim asking why just before being beaten to death. Scott Summers didn't expect an answer, he expected the person masquerading as Jean to kill him. Behind Jean, flames burst out of thin air and morphed into The Phoenix. Such beautiful and mythical a creature in reality a hellish demon. Scott attempted to fire his optic blasts, but nothing materialized, it was if his power had been neutralized. The monster controlling the firebird smiled, it had been years since it had had such power. "Where is Jean?"

Scott screamed in anger but she kept smiling, the Phoenix high above her, poised to strike.

"Where is she?" He didn't have energy to shout, it was a useless request that fell on death ears. The Phoenix soared towards Scott and engulfed him in fire, his World now black.

* * *

Scott sprang awake and immediately surveyed his surroundings. The medical room of Xavier's mansion stared back, cold and familiar. He attempted to control his breathing. Scott's mind generated a thousand questions, but all he remembered was Jean. But it hadn't been her. He rolled off the table, everything so groggy he hadn't noticed various wires attached to his body. A computer began a long beep; the disconnecting of the monitoring wires effectively telling it Scott had died. Ororo burst into the room; she must have been waiting outside.

"You're awake." It was the presence of another person that made Scott realise how bare he was, clad in only a pair of white boxers. Scott looked at his body and saw the scar that will remind him forever of that memory. He gasped with shock, first his curse of the optic blasts restricted by his visor and now this stain. Life always surprised him. He could have gotten angry or cried with despair but with a calmness usually associated with Scott Summers, he moved on to more pressing matters.

"Where is she?" His mind flashed between images of Jean, the firebird and the scar on his chest. The seconds Ororo didn't answer, the more the pressure built up inside Scott.

"Jean's fine, she's been asleep since we got back. What happened to you two?" Ororo, like everyone else, was desperate for answers. Since their arrival back, neither Scott nor Jean had woke. Professor Xavier had felt the incident between them through his psychic rapport with Scott. Kurt had told Logan and Ororo that Xavier had retired to his room after a quick examination. He hadn't checked on Jean or Scott since their arrival the mansion.

Scott looked at Ororo, whose tear-filled eyes seemed to plead with him.

"She isn't Jean. Whoever it was that attacked me wasn't Jean." Ororo didn't expect the answer. She gazed at Scott, trying to understand what he was implying. One of the surgical tools fell off a tray near the entrance to the medical room. Scott and Ororo turned to look at the cause of the noise.

Awake, with silent tears trickling down her pale, white face, was Jean. Her eyes connected with Scott's, as normal as the day they met. Scott knew he had made a terrible mistake, Jean had heard him. Without a word, she left the entrance and an astonished Scott, behind her.


End file.
